Thoroughly Exhausted
by KathrynElaineDarling
Summary: QLFC S7R8


QLFC Competition: Nine of Wands: Upright – Resilience, Grit, Last Stand; Reversed: Exhaustion, Fatigue, Questioning Motivations.

Position: Beater 1  
Team: Pride of Portree  
Optional Prompts: #4: [action] to spill something/knock something over; #9: [season] winter; #13: [location] St. Mungo's  
Prompt Pick: Reversed

**Thoroughly Exhausted**

Hermione was used to waking up in her own bed. She was used to the sun filtering in through her thin burgundy curtains, bundled up in her mountains of blankets, and thoughts of hot coffee waiting for her in her kitchen. That feeling felt like it was a million miles away from where she was today. The sun wasn't coming through the dull blinds that she currently stared at. She used to love snow and winter in general but, as she watched the snow fall from her chair, she couldn't find the joy in it.

"Hermione, are you listening?"

No, she wasn't. She hadn't listened to a word Ginny had said to her. She was far too transfixed on the snowflakes that fell from the night sky. She remembered loving winter but she didn't love winter in here. Hermione fingered the bunched creases on her stiff blankets that were provided to her and listened to the sounds of the monitors that beeped. She didn't want to remember where she was, why she was there, and who put her there. She glanced from the blankets to the monitor that held drips of all kinds.

"Hermione?"

Ginny crouched down beside her and only then did Hermione acknowledge her presence. When she turned towards the red head, she caught several more familiar faces that would usually bring a smile to her face. She hadn't smiled in weeks. Harry and Ron were worried as they watched their half-conscious friend with sunken eyes. She was sure that she looked exhausted. Every time she caught her reflection in the window, she could see the dark circles under her eyes, her messy hair, her sickly pale skin, and her thin figure. The sickness was getting worse and she didn't imagine that there was anything else they could do for her. She felt tired and her body ached with fatigue. She wanted to go back to the bed behind her but the movement was a struggle. There wasn't enough motivation to get her to move back to that spot.

"Do you remember where you are?"

_St. Mungo's_, she wanted to answer.

She knew where she was and was aware of everything around her. She was just too exhausted to tell them that. The new drip they put in this morning had really messed with her but she managed a light nod to answer Ginny's question.

"Do you remember why you are here?"

_It started when I spilled a cup of tea_, she wanted to answer.

She just nodded and thought back to the reason she was sent here. It did all start when she spilled a cup of tea but it progressed to hand cramping, body cramping, an inevitable fall to the floor that left her body in contortions, and warm tea as well as broken porcelain from the mug she had spilled onto the floor. Eventually the seizing had stopped long enough for her to apparate herself to the hospital. After that moment, there wasn't a time when she wasn't being poked and prodded by the staff. Having been half wizard and half muggle, they had to treat her different. They couldn't just warrant a potion and send her on her way. She had to be hooked up to fluids that did have magical properties within them but she wasn't getting better. In fact, she didn't even know what it was that she had. She barely listened to the doctors. She preferred to be right here in her chair, watching the snow fall quietly and peacefully.

"I don't know what else to say and I'm out of ideas," Ginny sighed in defeat while standing back up and looking at the boys.

"I think I have an idea. Come on, let's let her rest. We'll be back later Hermione," Harry said quietly, pushing the two siblings out the door.

She didn't even wave to them goodbye. Instead, she wondered how much effort would go into moving back to the bed but the pain and fatigue alone stopped her from wanting to move. The snow was falling heavier now and the food that the hospital had brought to her had lost its steam. She was afraid she would knock something over again when she tried to grab it. She felt like giving up. This wasn't going to get better. She was a hopeless case. No one would reap any benefits of her staying around. She should just give up and tell her friends to give up too. These medications would never work.

It had been a few hours since she had seen them. She figured that maybe they had given up on her and that bothered her slightly. She moved her feet to the ground and hissed when her feet hit the cold tile. Pins and needles shot through her legs and she moved them back up to sit on them. Her bones creaking and aching as she moved, her exhaustion becoming more unbearable, and her coughing had returned. That was a side effect of one of the drips that hung from the IV station. She groaned in pain and went back to watching the snow. Except, the snow and her reflection wasn't the only thing that that she could see in the window pane.

Draco Malfoy, in all his haughty glory, was standing behind the chair. She didn't jump and she didn't move in any way except to watch him sit in the chair diagonal from his spot. Her blood boiled and she could feel the anger bubbling inside but then it was put out. She was too tired to argue with him and she could feel the exhaustion climb through her body. Just as fast as the anger appeared, it was gone.

"Why are you here?" she croaked.

Her throat was sore and her voice was hoarse. She hadn't exercised her will to talk since she had been there but, for whatever reason, she felt the need to talk to him. Despite how much her body was willing her not to.

"I work here."

She knew that. She wanted to know why he was in her room. She was sure that once he saw her name on some records that he would steer as far away from her as possible. It had been some years since their Hogwarts days and Hermione would like to say that she forgave him. She hadn't but she was too tired to start a fight. Hermione wished she could worry about her job at the Ministry but that seemed like a dream to her now. It wasn't quite real.

"I know. What do you want?" she questioned.

"I'm here to tell you that I've taken over your stay here. I'm your doctor," he smirked.

She wanted to slap it off his face but, again, her body stopped her. She just sighed and shrugged. She was admitting defeat and she was desperate.

"If you feel like you can handle something half muggle then be my guest," she told him.

She had meant for it to be snooty and hurtful but it didn't come out that way.

"Watch me," he challenged.

Just like that, he was gone and a team of nurses came in to help her back in the bed.

Draco came out to talk with Ginny, Harry, and Ron. They had sought him out in the hospital and, if Draco had known she was here, he would have helped sooner.

"Thank you. We didn't know who else to ask," Ginny stated, not looking him in the eyes.

"This is pretty common for in here. You'll have your friend back in no time," Draco nodded, turning to leave.

"Why were you so willing to help us?" Harry asked.

He wasn't willing to help Harry with anything but he was willing to help Hermione. He owed her and he was going to make it right but fixing this problem.

"I'm repaying a debt," Draco answered, glancing back to the room that Hermione was in.

They removed the drips and did everything that Draco had ordered for them to do. He moved faster so that the three standing in the hallway wouldn't continue to stop him and ask questions. He was going to fix this and he was going to fix her. His debt would be paid if it was the last thing he did.


End file.
